One of the most important lessons I have learned recently is how delicate my relationship with my boyfriend is. It’s not that our relationship has dissolved, but rather it has become something we have cared for with nurturing dedication. I know you’re probably thinking, “Wouldn’t you and your boyfriend already be treating your relationship that way? I mean, you’re heading into four years together. Isn’t that a given by now?”
Honestly, no, it’s not.
When your relationship constantly sees challenges glaring in the distance, and you watch your partner struggle unnecessarily in life, you have to handle your relationship with care. While I have no doubt that my boyfriend will overcome all of his current challenges, it still hurts to watch someone I love struggle because of others’ selfishness and ugliness. It makes him fragile, and by extension, it makes me fragile, too.
I read once that “a long-distance relationship isn’t for the brave, but rather for the bold.”
While that’s especially true for my boyfriend and me, all relationships take dedication and teamwork. In my case, my significant other and I both know the work that lies ahead of us, and we’re both ready to take on any challenges life hands us. We know that we both want a strong relationship, not just one that others believe is strong. Together, we strengthen our foundation based on what’s best for us and the future we hope to build together, not just what’s acceptable to others.
Our relationship is always in a fragile position, no matter what stage or season we are in together. Even through the challenges, though, our relationship is a sacred, personal connection we continuously work to strengthen to the best of our abilities.
The world can be difficult and unkind to us as a couple, and it’s in those moments that I feel the gap between us grow. Still, I will never give up on him or on us the moment life takes a turn for the worst. Many couples don’t survive the hard times because they “filter” their relationships and assume that their love will stay absolutely perfect forever. But because my boyfriend and I want a love that lasts, not just a love that “looks pretty,” we have recently re-committed ourselves to giving our relationship 100 percent. He and I are in this for the long haul.
My boyfriend and I hope to build a future together, a solid legacy of love. I hope we can teach the world that even though our love is fragile, it is powerful and beautiful, and I hope others will understand that in our relationship, our voices are the only two that truly matter.I
A relationship like ours is challenging, but I always remember that our love is a fragile gift from God. At the end of the day, H is the only one who can tell my boyfriend and I whether or we are worthy enough to have and hold onto for as long as we both shall live.
Feature Image by Niki Sanders on Unsplash
